I’m thrilled to have started my new role as Executive Director of the Empty Stocking Fund (ESF). The past two weeks have been incredibly busy, but I’m loving every minute of it!
This holiday season, our goal is to serve 25,000 children across greater Atlanta with toys and gifts. It costs just $35 to sponsor a child, and I’ve set a personal goal to sponsor 30 children. Will you help me reach that goal?
Each year, ESF provides over $1 million worth of supplies to 2,000 Title I schoolteachers across metro Atlanta. We distribute 30,000 student supply kits—valued at $1.05 million—and deliver 25,000 holiday gifts worth more than $1.2 million.
Thanks to relationships with wholesale distributors and in-kind donations from generous corporate partners, ESF is able to acquire brand-new, age- and gender-appropriate gifts, as well as essential school supplies, to ensure children and teachers in need get what they deserve.
Best of all, everything we offer is free of charge to families and teachers, made possible only by the generosity of donors like you.
I recently read some of the comments from parents on our registration portal, and I wanted to share a few with you:
- “The holidays have become something I secretly dread because I don’t want my kids to feel any sense of lack. Sometimes we go without because other needs take priority, and she does her best to understand and be happy.”
- “I have not been working due to having to care for my mother. I’m a young mom and I just need help.”
- “We’ve had a rough year. We lost everything and are starting over. It’s been hard to find a job that covers all of our bills.”
- “As a single mom of three, the holiday season is especially difficult. With limited resources, providing gifts for my children is a constant source of stress and sadness. Seeing their disappointment when they don’t get what their friends do is heart-wrenching.”
Your support makes a real difference. Thank you for helping make the holidays brighter for these children and families!